


Fallen

by tetsubinatu



Series: Conquered 'verse [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-30
Updated: 2011-09-30
Packaged: 2017-10-24 04:27:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/259006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tetsubinatu/pseuds/tetsubinatu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kink-me prompt is: Arthur/Merlin, spoils of war AU. Merlin is a prince from another kingdom. His father goes to war against Camelot and defeats Uther. Arthur is going to be executed until Merlin decides to claim him as his part of the spoils. Fucked up relationship ensues with arrogant dom!Merlin and defiant!Arthur. They start off hating each other but soon find they can't get enough of one another.</p><p>Arthur isn't so much defiant here as broken, however.  He has been Merlin's slave for 3 months and a lot has changed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fallen

When Prince Merlin first proposed that he take Arthur outside, Arthur wanted to refuse. He... people would _see_ him, and **he** would be there.

"The King has given permission," Merlin assured him, "No-one will notice you."

Arthur had learned a lot during the three months of his slavery, but he hadn't been outside the Prince's Chambers in all that time. Meals arrived by magic and the only people to come through the door were Merlin and **him**.

Merlin... Merlin was his master - but **he** , the King, brought only pain. The first time **he** had come through the door Arthur had stood up to him, had tried to fight back. Merlin had come back to discover him in a pool of his own blood on the floor.

"It's the anniversary of my mother's death," Merlin had explained, his magic crackling fire through Arthur's bones until they were straight and whole again. "He loved her very much, and your father had her killed. I'll spare you the details."

 **He** had already told Arthur the details; scouring, brutal words punctuating the acts of brutal hands.

Arthur turned his head away as Merlin sent tendrils of magic curling through ripped flesh, mending what had been torn. He hadn't been there long then, hadn't accepted the truth of his situation, but he had known enough even then to open his mouth compliantly when Merlin finished healing him and crawled over to kneel astride his chest. Merlin had fucked his mouth with absent-minded care before kissing his forehead and wandering down to his workshop. Arthur had slept, escaping into dreamless oblivion. But that was only the first time.

It happened at least once a week and now Arthur didn't resist. He thought that Merlin might have protested, although never in front of Arthur, because **he** never broke any bones any more unless Arthur said or did something to anger him. There were times when Arthur managed to get through it without so much as a mark, although more often he wore the bruises for days. Merlin never healed the bruises.

 **He** was outside. Arthur _really_ didn't want to go outside.

Merlin snapped on his leash and Arthur dropped to his knees pleadingly, but Merlin's mouth merely tightened and he said, "Come, Arthur" so Arthur rose to his feet and followed his master down the spiral stairs he had ascended all those months ago.

As he passed the window the view was cold and barren. Winter had taken the fields below while he was high in his turret, and snow covered the fields which had been full of ripening corn when Arthur had been Prince.

Merlin was right: no-one noticed him. Whatever spell the Prince had cast meant that people _saw_ him - they didn't run into him or look through him - but their eyes never truly lighted on him, never _noticed_ him. It was as if he was something ordinary that they saw every day and had no particular interest in. He saw many of the servants he knew, going about their business as if nothing had changed. Bardon, the castle steward, hurried past. He looked exactly as he always had - even his hat was the same one he had been wearing on the day of the invasion.

Nothing had changed. Arthur looked around and realised that he meant nothing to these people. He had loved and sweated - he would have _died_ for them - and it meant nothing. Their lives were untouched by his fall from Prince to slave. He wanted to weep.

Merlin pulled him into a shadowed alcove, snapping his fingers, and Arthur dropped to his knees as he had been trained, reaching for Merlin's breeches. Merlin let him take his cock out and suck on it, gently stroking his hair. As he swallowed, Arthur realised that he was sobbing quietly under his breath. Merlin pulled him in close, letting Arthur lean into the warmth of his leg, the soothing sympathy of Merlin's gentle hands in his hair. They were still for a little while before Merlin spoke again.

"Alright, now?"

Arthur nodded, then said shakily, "Yes sir." His hands automatically slid Merlin's clothes back into place, tucking and smoothing them as he breathed deeply and moved away from the sanctuary of Merlin's leg. Merlin snapped his fingers again and Arthur stood up, looking at the floor, but Merlin raised his chin with one hand and dropped a light kiss on his lips.

"Come on," he said cheerfully. "You'll like this."

Arthur took a deep breath and followed the light tug of his master's chain back into the light.


End file.
